1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to frequency dividers.
2. Related Art
The wide proliferation of wireless products depends upon components that can convert a signal from one frequency to another. Accordingly, such components must be able to operate at different frequencies. Often such components include frequency dividers. Frequency dividers receive an input signal at a first frequency and produce an output signal at a second frequency. The second frequency is the quotient of the first frequency divided by an integer. For ultra high frequency operations, custom designed analog frequency dividers are often used. Although programmable frequency dividers have been designed to support division by more than one integer, typically the set of integers that can be used is small and excludes large odd integers. Furthermore, from an integrated circuit design perspective, analog frequency dividers occupy a substantial amount of substrate area, consume significant amounts of static power, and are generally not easily transferable from one component design to another. What is needed is a frequency divider that can be programmed to divide the frequency of an input signal by several integers, including large odd integers. Preferably, such a frequency divider would also be capable of operating at ultra high frequencies.